Bill Cheek - World Scanner Report

REV-A: 03/18/93

WORLD SCANNER REPORT

I A Journal WVHI-DHP Radio Lfeclinologjr Ssnginpring

Published by COMMtronfcj Euglnwrlng at PO Bo* 262478; San Diego, CA 92196
!ill!ll!l!-1 Vopyrlglrt i j>f;l 991*95 <AH Rl^its .Reserved^';-: i /ISSN 1061-9240 ii||B|J!|||l|

ip Volume 5, Number-1 $5.00

REFERENCE-PAm killlllll

WSR Voiee/Bu*ttte$a> l i - i

' : . Non^Hdayweekdim

Hertzian intercept BBS, 5i30pm^>30pm*; PiS!T : ;

: ’ Weekday* & 24^-weekefKfe
BBS Setup: 1200-28,8tffl~bp$+ 8N1, ANSI or TTY.

Index & table i?f Contents to WSR always available
for free download from BBS or ^iyfor : Kf Si)0$
floppy disk or $5 printed hard •-x:# :;

© FIRS l ISSl’E ’95 © I
HAPPVIN^Siii^W

Here we go, folks; first issue of : 1995' is
hot off the press and we've made
progress already. . Notice the photo on
the right? Compare the detail to other
photo's we’ve published H in !; the past;
Well, true to our promise to ever be on
the upward spiral, we've added some
new equipment to upgrade the quality of
our photographic processes,;; Ypu'llfind a
steady qualitative improvement in the
WSR over this coming year.

^UBSCRIFITO^^EA^^

The darned Postal Service raised the cost
of mail by just enough that when coupled
with ever rising costs of materials and
processes these past four years, it’s come
time to raise subscription prices.
Clearly, we have little or no control over
these variables, but relax...prices will not
rise without ample warning and an
opportunity to cash in on the old rates. I
don’t know how much prices will rise,
but the timing will probably be for the
last half of 1995, so look for new rates to
go into effect by July, 1995. You’ll be
advised before then.

^^^005J&RACKE^OTS|

Refer to the photo on this page for some
ideas on how to better implement some
of those older modifications.

PinLine Sockets: For starters, notice the
PinLine strip just to the left of CN-501?
It’s a 13-pin strip with male pins
inserted into and soldered to the 13-
unused holes that can be found on the
Logic/CPU Board just to the left of C-
502. The exposed female sockets can
accept a mating 13-pin strip of male
plugs to facilitate easier connection of
various mods to CN-501. For instance.
Key Research Co’s SEARCH & STORE
modules require several connections to
CN-501. The CE-232/HB-232 Scanner-

Computer Interface connects to CN-501.
This month’s REMOTE CONTROL
modification uses several pins at CN-
501. There is no sense in connecting
directly to CN-501, however; not when
those 13 unused holes beg for something
much more convenient to be stuck in
them. Soldering to CN-501 may destroy
it as can repeated connections and
disconnections over a period of time.
Add a 13-pin PinLine strip to these holes
to make it much easier on yourself and
your scanner.

Memory Mods Made Easier: The
Extended Memory varieties of MOD-16
are immensely easier and less error
prone if you use a surface-mount SRAM
chip in lieu of the much larger DIP style.
See WSR V1N8 & V3N4 for methods and
procedures. Most of the pins of the
replacement SRAM chips fit, pin for pin,
with the existing pads of the stock
SRAM chip, so at worst, you need only
cut a trace or two and run up to six wires
from the new surface mount SRAM (as
opposed to 28 or more wires required for
the DIP type SRAMs.

Shown in the photo above are the six
wires of a 25,600-ch Memory Mod going

into a smear of hot-glue that holds the
corresponding pulldown resistors and a
strip of PinLine sockets to mate with a
plug that goes to the memory Block
switches. Thus, the area of the SRAM
chip need have no strain put on it by
floating wire bundles and operator
tampering.

The above example shows the end of the
metal shield cut away to expose the area
of the stock SRAM and CN-501. You
may or may not wish to be so drastic
with your cutting. If you carefully route
those six wires away from the new
SRAM chip, it may not be necessary to
cut any of the metal shield except for
about a Va" strip that covers the 13-holes
in back of CN-501. Even that cut is not
necessary, if you don’t use CN-501 for
anything. (/ can 7 imagine that, though .)

Other Mods on the Logic/CPU Board
can be simplified by the use of PinLine
Sockets and judicious cutting of the
chrome metal shield, as needed. One
thing you don’t want to do is continually
disassemble and reassemble that front
panel and Logic/CPU board every time
you or I think up a new Mod.
Fortunately, mods in that area are rare.

05/18/95 — 00:27 ~ Page 1

Most other mods actually require one or
more connections to CN-501, so that
strip of PinLine Sockets can be a
godsend if you’ll take the time to do it.

Some mods may require connection to
the same pin of CN-501. When that is
the case, you can use a pair of pinline
sockets soldered together at their bases
with one pin plugging into the desired
pin of CN-501. In that fashion, a single
pin is brought out to a double socket,
more or less something like this:

your own quick-disconnect wire splices!
The males of one set of PinLine sockets
are wired to accept the females of an
identical set as shown below:

Next, we have a method of building
entire circuits on a PinLine strip so that
the strip can then plug into a mating
strip. Note the two circuits just below:

Below is a view of the left circuit above
plugged into a mating strip under CN-
501. This circuit lias been sealed and
protected with hot glue for strength and
insulation. For those not in the know,
above and below depict diodes Dl-8 and
resistors, R4-7, of the CE-232 Interface.

PinLine sockets make great connection
points for simple circuits seen below.

Below is a PRO-43 with a polarized strip
of PinLine sockets (6 x 5) for connecting

great and wonderful things from the
outside world. Below, is a cable with
mating PinLine plugs for the PRO-43.
The 6x5 arrangement eliminates
confusion on which way the plug should
be inserted. The PinLine plug is sealed
in hot glue and features a “pull loop” of
stout wire to avoid breaking the fragile
pins.

The large photo at the top of the page is
a CE-232 Interface board that sports
liberal use of PinLine sockets with which
to connect the various Input, Output, and
control wires. This makes for easy
installations and easy removal for service
and related hacking adventures. A few
quick disconnects, and the unit is ready
to yank for whatever reason. Smart
hackers always make it easy on them¬
selves, knowing full well that if
misfortune doesn’t strike, they’ll be back
in there doing something else soon.

12/28/94~ i:44 pm~ The "WorldScanner Report” © 1991-95; Volume 5, No 1; Page 2

Below are suppliers and part numbers for
PinLine sockets. Keep a supply on hand
for a variety of uses.

DieiKev (800) 344-4539.

.A-208ND

Hosfelt ($00) 524-6464....21-161, 21-234 or 21-264 |

Mouser f800) 346-6873.

.151-5520, 151-5530

Hosfelt Electronics’ “ machine pin SIP
sockets ” are a best buy with the most
pins for the lowest cost. DigiKey’s and
Mouser’s are pricier for some reason.

BASIC REMOTE CONTROLLER

1 FOR THE PRQ-2004/5/6 1

& OTHER SCANNERS

You’d think it a simple matter to add a
remote controller to the keyboard of a
scanner. After all, a keyboard is just a
bunch of push-button on-off switches.
And, heck, all it would take is a batch of
remote switches wired in parallel with
the ones on the keyboard via a long cable
and there’s your controller. Right?

WRONG! Well, sort of, anyway. To
control a few of the scanner’s functions
by a remote wired controller is not
difficult but it can’t be done the way you
might first think, because the scanner’s
keyboard connects directly to the micro¬
computer (CPU) and all the keyboard
switches are located only an inch or two
from it. When the length of the switch
lines is more than a few inches, the CPU
becomes vulnerable to noise, capacitive
loading and other nasty, disagreeable
effects. The CPU will lockup and/or
some functions may not work. So, we
have to isolate the remote controller, its
associated switches, and long cable from
the CPU and Keyboard, and still provide
the same switching action as the
Keyboard. No problem! We need one
chip, and a few parts to remotely control
up to three functions.

The neat little 4066 CMOS chip we’re
using here contains four electronic (not
mechanical) SPST switches. Take a look
at the Pinout for the 4066 chip, and
you’ll get a pretty good idea of how it
works. Each of the four switches on the
chip has three pins: IN, OUT (makes no
difference which is which) and a Control
pin. This accounts for 12 of the 14 pins.
Another pin is for GROUND and the last
one is for +5volt power. A switch is
open when its respective control pin has
no voltage applied. When +5v is applied
to a control pin, its corresponding switch
segment “closes”. When +5v is removed

from the control pin, the switch opens
again. Each switch is isolated from and
independent of the rest. Pretty simple,
actually. The 4066 chip isn’t available
from Radio Shack, but they can order
one for you. The CD-4066 is available
from most electronic supply firms.

the CD-4066 because of lower “contact”
resistance and higher speed of operation.
They are a bit harder to find and either
one will do for the most part.

Scanner keyboards are arranged in a
expanded "tic-tac-toe" grid or matrix
consisting of columns and rows. The
PRO-2004/5/6 use a 4-row x 8-column
matrix. The functions to be remotely
controlled (MANUAL, SCAN and
DELAY) are arranged in one column
and three rows. (4 wires total). For the
necessary isolation of the remote
controller from the keyboard, the 4066
chip will buffer the one “column wire”
and the three “row wires”, a pair each of
which will be triggered by one of the
three external control switches on the
remote control box. See below for a
pictorial of the PRO-2004/5/6 Keyboard
Switch Matrix.

This article and diagrams are designed
for the PRO-2004, PRO-2005 and PRO-
2006 scanners, but there’s no reason why
the exact principles given here can’t be
applied to other scanners and tilings that
use a matrix keyboard for control or data
entry. As depicted here, the principle is

sound and functional for most anything
that requires only a few remote control
switches. If you want total control of
your scanner, like all 29 Keyboard
functions, this approach might not be the
best because of the necessary eight or
nine 4066 chips and the rather heavy
umbilical cable with over 30 control
wires. As it is, the method shown will
control up to three functions using four
wires. If you use a shielded 9-conductor
cable, you can add another three
functions of choice by duplicating the
circuit and process shown here for seven
wires. For the rest of this article, we will
employ the KISS principle: (Keep It
Simple, Stupid).

It is highly recommended that you get
the Service Manual for your scanner. It
will help you locate and identify areas in
which you will be working. For the
PRO-2004/5/6, the Service Manual can
be ordered direct at (800) 442-2425 .

First, build the simple circuit shown in
the schematic on a small piece of perf
board and install it as close as possible to
the Keyboard.

For the PRO-2004, install the new board
on the back of the Keyboard PCB inside
the sloped front panel and solder its
output wires from Ul, pins 1, 4,. 9, & 11
directly to Keyboard solder pads #7, 9,

10 & 11 respectively. (NOTE: a BLACK
factory wire is at Keyboard solder pad
#13.) Length of these wires should be a
couple of inches at the most.

For the PRO-2005/6, install the new
board on its side on the main receiver
board just below the Logic/CPU
Keyboard Connector. Solder the free end
of each output wire from Ul, pins 1, 4, 9
& 11 to the PCB holes for the Keyboard
Connector (CN-501) at pins #7, 9, 10 &

11 respectively. Better still, use PinLine
sockets & plugs as tipped on page 2!
Looking down onto CN-501 from the
top. Pin 1 is at the extreme right and Pin
13 is at the extreme left.

The power & control lines from the
board (Ul, Pins 5, 6, 12 & 14) to the
remote controller should be neatly routed
around the perimeter of the scanner
through a %" hole on the rear panel.
These wires should protrude from the
rear maybe two or three inches at the
most and then terminate at the in-line
socket (J-l) for quick and easy
disconnects when the remote controller
is not needed. A mating connector for

12/28/94 - 1:44 p\t~ The "WorldScanner Report" © 1991-95; Volume 5, No 1; Page 3

REMOTE CONTROLLER FOR PRO-2004/5/6 & OTHER SCANNERS

R ?9 Note 1

+ 5V <1-
OUT Lug of IC-8 Nf

in PRO-2004/5/6

Corrected 05/18/95 from V5N1

SCANNER KEYBOARD
CONNECTOR CN-501 9

PRO-2005/6

OR 10

KEYBOARD SOLDER
PADS IN PRO-2004 1 1

13

Pm

A

“ f

V

A,

J

V

A

]

V

/v

V

A

Nol

e 5 I

k ?

V

NOTES

1. Other scanners: any regulated +5v source

2. Umbilical cable can be of any practical legth but
probably not over 25-ft (6 to 8-ft for most needs.)
Use shielded cable. Solder or bolt the shield both
to scanner's ground and to the Remote Control
Box chassis, if metal.

3. Push button switches are the normally open
(n.o.) type.

4. Build circuit on perf board about 1" x W\

Install close to the scanner's keyboard.

5. Circuit board ground can go to any scanner
ground but should also be directly connected to
Keyboard Pin 13.

^Atl {Right* {Reserved

REMOTE
CONTROL BOX

□

P 1

P 1

P 1

□

4

3

2

1

Cable

S-3

-o o-

S-2

O O-

S-l

-O O-

Note 3

Delay

Scan

Manual

+5v

Note 2

this plug (P-1) should be soldered to one
end of the desired length of shielded
umbilical cable, 6-8 ft typical, and maybe
a maximum 25-ft. The other end of this
cable should be “hardwired” to the
remote control box as shown in the
schematic diagram.

REMOTE CONTROLLER PARTS LIST |

Ckt

Radio Shack

Sym

Qty Description

Cat No

U1

1

CD-4066, 74HC4066,

See text

or ECG/NTE 4066B

Cl

1

2.2-uF/35vdc Tant cap

272-1435

C2-4

3

0. l-uF/50vdc mono cap

272-109

Dl-3

3

Switch diode,, 1N4148

276-1122
or-1620

J1

1

Jack, In-line, DIN, 8-pin

274-027

PI

1

Plug, In-line, DIN, 8-pin

274-026

Rl-3

3

100-k, 1/4-watt resistor

271-1347

Sl-3

3

Switch, pb, SPST, mo.

275-1547

or-1556 or-1571 or-1549

Misc

7

Shielded Cable, 9-cond

278-775

Misc

1

Metal or plastic box

See text

Misc

?

Hookup wire

278-775

Misc

1

Perf Board (cut 1” x 1H")

276-1395

Misc

1

Socket, IC, 14-pin DIP

276-1999

Neither the box nor the circuit wiring are
critical, provided that you stick to the
circuit design. You are free to apply
some ingenuity and creativity in this

project. The box should be metal, but
plastic will do if you can’t find
something better. Radio Shack doesn’t
have a really great box for this purpose,
but several of their offerings can be
pressed into service. I like the sloping
metal box from LMB, model MDC-642,
available at some electronic supply firms.
The box can hold lots of other things
besides remote control switches: CTCSS
Decoder....DTMF Decoder....much more.

Solder or bolt the shield of the umbilical
cable to the metal frame just inside
where it enters the rear of the scanner. If
you use a metal box, then solder or bolt
the cable’s shield to a handy spot just
inside where it enters the box. Be sure to
solder the cable’s shield to the metal
shells of both the plug and the jack.

PRACTICAL THEORY Suppose you
press S-l to set the MANUAL mode.
You’ll see how this applies +5v to U-l,
Pin 5 and to Pin 13 via D-3. A quick
look at the 4066 Pinout on the previous
page shows that Pins 5 & 13 are the
Control Inputs for Switches A & B.
Therefore, pressing S-l causes Switches

A & B to close. When this happens,
whatever is at Lug 7 of the nearby
Keyboard Connector passes into U-l via
Pin 1; out on Pin 2 to Pins 3, 8, & 10.
Pins 8 & 10 are not active ( Switches c&D)
but Pin 3 is active (Switch B), so the
signal goes back out Pin 4 to the
Keyboard Connector at Lug 9.
Summary: Pressing S-l causes a short
circuit path from Lug 7 to Lug 9 of the
Keyboard Connector\ So what does that
do? Well, take a look at the Switch
Matrix diagram on the previous page to
see where Lugs 7 & 9 are the unique
combination for the MANUAL function.

Diodes Dl-3 are isolation diodes to
permit simultaneous, individual control
of the desired three rows and the one
column. C-l is a decoupling & filter
capacitor that should be installed right at
Pin 14 with a short lead to Pin 7. I
specified 2.2-pF but it can be as low as
0.1-pF. Resistors Rl-3 and capacitors
C2-4 are for noise immunity. The
resistors can be of any type, but the
smaller, the better. The capacitors
should be monolithic types, 0.1-pF. The
alternative ECG or NTE-4066B are the
same as the CD-4066.

CONSTRUCTION TIPS: I specified
P-1 and J-l to be an “in-line” plug and
socket combination to make the
installation as easy as possible. If you
want to get slick and if you have the
right tools and patience, you can install a
female DIN jack or even a DB-9 jack on
the rear chassis of your scanner.
Fabricate a mating plug for the end of
your umbilical cable, and you’re in
business with a pro-quality installation.

Radio Shack has discontinued my
favored 278-775 shielded cable, but some
stores may still have a supply. Good
stuff, if you can find it. Also #278-776

The push-button switches can be as
simple as specified in the Parts List, or
you can salvage a telephone keypad or
most any other kind of electronic keypad
if you want to go ‘high tech’ with this
project. Switches are switches.

Use an IC socket for U-l, if you’re smart.
Makes swapping out bad chips a breeze.

Technical support for this and all WSR
projects is available through the
Hertzian Intercept BBS and the FidoNet
SCANRADIO and SHORTAVE echoes
as well as by US Mail if needed. * ¥ ♦ *

05/i8/95~oo:32~ The "WorldScanner Report" © 1991-95; Volume 5, No 1; Page 4 Rev*ovum

I IT'D AM TTPflT ?Dl? K Ani? D Of : I'

i Jtvv/iVl 1 titii Kili/vU EiKu i:

Electroluminescent Panel Prohlems

From: Scott Larsen, Concord, CA : I
would like to tell you that your WSR is
excellent. Please renew my subscription.
Also, I would like to know if you could
help me with a small problem. I bought
my 2nd PRO-2006 from Grove about ten
months ago. I clipped the diodes and did
the headphone improvement. That’s the
only mods I did. I turned the unit on one
day to discover that the display light
would not work. I disassembled the unit
and checked what connections I could,
but I could not solve the problem, all
other functions work. I plan on getting a
shop manual soon. Can you help?

ED: I can 7 help a hell of a lot until you
have the Service Manual in hand. The
Electroluminescent Backlight is a
chemically active panel that slides in
behind the clear LCD Display module.
This EL panel frequently “wears” out,
noted by a gradual dimming, but if yours
went suddenly, the EL panel is probably
ok. You may have to replace it as a last
resort, though. Meanwhile, the EL
Panel runs from a 60-80 volt AC signal
produced by T-501, a small transformer
on the Logic/CPU board. T-501 is
driven by an oscillator, Q-508, running
at about 300 Hz. Power to Q-508 is +Jv
via SW-502, a series resistor and R-511.
The problem you described will reside
exclusively in this small area. I have
noted in some units that T-501 seems to
magnetize and attract metal filings and
scraps. IPs possible this happened in
yours and thereby shorted out two or
more terminals of the transformer. A
good cleaning may be in order;
otherwise, you'll have to troubleshoot
the aforementioned circuit.

CRYSTALS & SCANNER SPEEDS

From: Charlie Warfield, Naperville, IL

I have Scanner Mod Books I & II, as
well as several back issues of your
newsletter. Using these, I have done
several modifications on my PRO-2006
and PRO-43. Your publications are
everything you claim them to be and
more! Even with the few minor changes
I’ve made, I feel like I already got my
money’s worth. THANK YOU!!

My question is related to speeding up the
scan rate in the 2006 and 43. On page

82 of Vol II you state that changing the
clock crystal is risky and experimental,
but in V1N1 of your newsletter you state
with at least some confidence that an 18
MHz crystal is okay. Since I work for a
living and cannot afford to “experiment”
on my $400 scanner, I am asking for a
clarification on this mod: Is it a tested &
approved mod, or is it “experimental”?

I also have the same concern about
speeding up the PRO-43. The V3N8
WSR has the procedure, but your
commentary does not persuade me that
this mod is worth risking.

My second question is about crystals. An
engineer friend of mine says that, for the
most part, all crystals are the same. Yet,
if they’re all the same, why does Digi-
Key have pages and pages of them?
Could you please help by explaining in
more detail the type and style of crystal
needed? Digi-Key has crystals described
as being for “general purpose”
applications. Will one of these work, or
do you have a better recommendation?

ED: I do not support crystal speed-ups
anymore except in rare instances where
a need overrides the side effects. First,
you should be aware of the serial aspect
of my books and the WSR: The books
were written in ‘89 and ‘90 and the WSR
was started in ‘91. Latest information
always supersedes older data There
was a time when 18 MHz crystals worked
for me in the PRO-2006, but later, two
CPU's blew out at 18 MHz, so the
maximum safe frequency is now 16 MHz
for a modest 33% increase. There are
other side effects that I don 7 like, such
as shortened DELAY; squeaky BEEPs;
and incompatibility with other important
mods. At least two major mods that I
know of will not work with crystal-
speeded up PRO-2004/5/6's. So, the
risk, coupled with reduced performance
and shrunken playing fields for other
mods has disillusioned me with speed
boosting. I don't support it anymore,
though I may tell how to do such mods
from time to time. That doesn't mean
you have to do them, though.

By the way, crystals are NOT all the
same. They differ as night and day! For
speedups, the proper type is known as a
“microprocessor crystal” which works
at the fundamental frequency. Other
types are dangerous and risky. Key
Research Co. was alive and well last I
knew, but no news of recent times.

From: John Kline, Slidell, LA:

Translated: Please Prof
Peabody , tell us about
those unpublished
CTCSS mods?!! We
all love you!

Speaking of CTCSS,
I think a good mod
would be to interface
the PRO-43 and
other handhelds to Optoelectronics DC-
440. This unit is small and has battery
option so that puts it in the “cany along
mode”, doesn’t it? Merry Christmas

PRO-34/37 SENSITIVITY MOD ?

From; D. Michaels. W. Seneca, NY

I would like to take this opportunity to
inform you of an interesting situation
regarding my Radio Shack PRO-34 that I
purchased in early ‘90. I am basically
satisfied with this scanner but I always
felt that the sensitivity on the VHF Lo,
VHF-Hi & Aero bands left something to
be desired (even on an outside antenna).
I just chalked it up to “the nature of the
beast” as I have read many complaints in
various magazines regarding poor
sensitivity of the PRO-2004/5/6.

Approximately one year after purchase
my unmod’d PRO-34 developed serious
problems. The Radio Shack store told
me the scanner would have to be sent to
a repair center. As the repair order was
written up, I made sure that the salesman
noted that I wanted the sensitivity
checked against factory specs - aligning
or replacing parts if necessary. Ten days,
a new PLL chip, and $54 later, my
scanner was reportedly “as good as new.”
The repair tag stated that the scanner
was realigned and that the sensitivity
was within specs. After trying it, I still
felt that the sensitivity was poor.

Recently a friend gave me his PRO-37
and asked me to fix an intermittent
earphone jack. After repairing the
scanner, I had a chance to use it for a
few days. I was very surprised at the
signals this scanner pulled in. I dug out
the service manuals for the PRO-34 & 37
and found that the sensitivity specs were
“identical.” I compared the PRO-34 &
37 Linear Section schematic diagrams
and found them to be similar. Starting at
the BNC antenna connector, I looked for
reasons that would cause a reduction in
the RF signal. I thought that if C101,
C125, D115 or DA101 were defective

SCAN

DOfr^Y

12/28/94 — 1:44 pm ~ The "WorldScanner Report" © 1991-95; Volume 5, No 1; Page 5

then the sensitivity would suffer. On a
whim I put a small jumper wire from the
center pin of the BNC connector (before
C101) and the junction of C126 & L102,
effectively bypassing C101, Cl 26,
DA101 & D115 (see included

schematics). I was pleasantly surprised
to pick up all sorts of distant VHF
frequencies. I was hesitant to make this
“mod” permanent as I was unsure of the
purpose of the parts that I was bypassing.

Then another friend asked me to make
the cellular modification for his PRO-34.
I was unsoldering the small wire from
the center pin of the BNC connector
when I was surprised to find a small
jumper wire from the center pin to L102.
I knew that my friend was not the type to
rip scanners apart and probe around with
soldering irons. I asked him about the
repair history of his PRO-34. He
informed me that from the beginning the
scanner suffered from poor sensitivity.
One day, while the scanner was still
under warranty, he turned on the PRO-
34 and smoke came out of it. He took
the scanner back to Radio Shack for
repair and mentioned the poor sensitivity
problem. He was pleased when he got
the repaired scanner back as he thought
that the sensitivity had improved 100%.
I assume that the small jumper wire was
some sort of a factory “quick fix ”

ED: I do, too , but it is probably an
unauthorized fix, performed by a RS
Repair Center technician who didn't
want to see the scanner come back.
While I can see that this “mod” may
work , I am disturbed that it bypasses
band switching diodes and possibly
permits both UHF tuners and the VHF
tuner to operate simultaneously.
Caution is advised until we can learn
more about this technique.

BC-2500 MODS

From: Udo Schlegel, Rockford. IL

Dear Bill, Being a current subscriber, I
was wondering if you or any one of your
other subscribers could come up with a
solution for a couple of mods in regards
to the recent Bearcat 2500 portable
scanner. I would like to incorporate a
user switchable backlight for display.
Currently it automatically turns itself off
after 15 secs.

ED: I ’m sure an extended backlight is
possible, but I have neither a BC-2500
nor a service manual for it. We featured
a similar mod for the BC-200 in V3N4.
You could check it out; compare
schematic diagrams; and adapt that one,
perhaps.

Also, is it feasible to incorporate a mode
switch to select either AM or FM
regardless of the frequency range as is
present on several Radio Shack models
like the PRO-43?

ED: Vm sure it’s possible, but same
handicaps mentioned above apply here.
A careful study of the AM & FM circuits
in the BC-2500 would disclose the switch
mechanism that's controlled by the CPU.
Isolating it and using a toggle switch
might do the trick.

Perhaps the keylock switch could be
utilized for one of these functions.

ED: Perhaps. .

What is the difference in your mod in
V3N10 and the one in Monitoring
Times? Yours shows the resistor in the
top row being moved, and the MT mod
shows it being moved in the bottom row.

ED: That was my error, subsequently
corrected and clarified in V4N5. Sorry.

The BC-2500 has not received wide
acceptance from the hobby community
and many regard it as an inferior
receiver, despite its bells and whistles,
all of which are “firmware ” based.
We ve discussed this in back issues with
the conclusion that firmware features are
cheap, almost to the point of being free,
and cannot contribute to the quality of a
receiver like hardware can. Without a
BC-2500 and its service manual in hand,
there’s little I can do to be of help, but
perhaps others out there have cut some
turf on that rig. I'll print any worthwhile
responses to that effect. Generally
speaking, I have to restrict my time to
the better quality receivers.

PRO-2032 CELLll LAR COVERAGE

From: Scott Thorkelson. Canada: I
was asked to restore cellular capabilities
in a PRO-2032 scanner. I found the
procedure described in WSR V4N6, but
the article referred to a diagram which
was not shown. (£2): Our mistake, and
subsequently printed in V4N7). I got a
copy of Monitoring Times (June 94), and
found the article and diagram. The
diagram was poorly done and somewhat
confusing (I have enclosed a copy), but I
managed to figure it out and perform the
modification.

I would like to offer my own diagram
and a simpler method for this mod.

1. Unplug scanner from power.

2. Remove bottom half of scanner case.

3. Desolder and remove shield plate
located behind Volume and Squelch
controls.

4. Refer to my diagram {next page).
Locate the dual diode between IC-6
& IC-5. Cut the trace that runs from
the upper right leg of this dual
diode.

5. Replace and solder shield plate.

6. Replace bottom scanner case.

ED: I’m reprinting your diagram and
method largely because it differs from
the one of which I’m aware. You call for
just one leg of the diode to be cut where

12/28/94-1:44 pm ~ The " World Scanner Report" © 1991-95; Volume 5, No 1; Page 6

A SUPPORTIVE READER RAPS

“Monitoring Times*’ and the WSR, V4N6
& V4N7 call for removal of the dual
diode. Obviously, your method works, so
what is the difference, I wonder?

From: Robert Lopez, Hesperia, CA

Dear Bill: I hope you’re doing fine. I
know you’re busy, but I need your views
on the AR3000A receiver. What you
like and don’t like about it, you know
things like that. Also, I know you like
the PRO-2006 which I also own, but I
need a more compact wide receiver
radio, 500 KHz - 1.3 plus, AM/FM -
WFM at least.

I drive a big truck for a living, you know,
an 18-wheeler for Yellow Freight
System. I run to the LA basin twice a
day, six days a week. My radio system is
set up in an aluminum square cube box
basically. Ham radios, scanner, amp,
speakers for noise problems. Thank you
for your time.

PS. Best mods? Sensitivity? Options?
Would make a good mobile scanner?

ED: The AR-3000 is one of the better
scanners around, possibly “better ” than
the PRO-2004/5/6 series. I don't own
one because the US distributor failed to
communicate with me on numerous
occasions when I requested technical
information on it. Furthermore, the
service manual is a basic piece of
manure, not at all typical of that for a
world class instrument. The AR-3000
has failed to attract the attention of the
engineering and serious hobby
communities, so I don't mess with it.

My hands are full anyway, just
supporting the better Realistic ™
scanners and in keeping up with the
latest news around the grapevine. In
cases like this, I have to depend on input
from others, and no one is coughing up
goodies for the AR-3000. I don’t know
why not, other than it is a 1 minority '
scanner that attracts little or no interest.
I'd be glad to print information on it, if
there were any available .

PRO-2030 LOCKOUT KEY DISABLE

From: Kelly Winz. Ragan. NE: How
can I put a keyboard lock on my scanner?
I have a Radio Shack PRO-2030. My
channel banks keep accidentally getting
locked in or out or individual channels
get locked out.

ED: How in the world does that

happen? Anyway, there is no practical
way to lockout the entire keyboard of the
PRO-2030, but you can disable the
LockOut key line, if that is causing the
trouble. The LockOut path consists of
the traces between Pins 23 & 28 of the
CPU, including R-225 & R-229.

Interrupting anything, anywhere on this
path with a SPST switch will disable the
L/O function as well as a few other keys.
Study the schematic diagram to see
which, and to determine where to place
the SPST switch, or pick a spot per
above. By the way, the PRO-2030 is of
Uniden origin, so we’re not looking at
one of the more versatile scanners here.
Still, it appears to be a decent scanner,
so try my suggestion above and let me
know if and how it works.

Dear Cindy & Bill: I want to renew my
subscription and thank you both for your
help. I’ve enclosed a $20 bill simply as
my way of expressing gratitude and relief
that my scanner mods actually work !
My year-old PRO-2006 now has 25,600
channels, and better yet has 640 Search
banks. Once I saw this actually work I
took the plunge and ordered the CE-232.
I didn’t own a computer at the time, but
after reading how you did the R&D on
an XT, I picked one up for $100. It ran
like a dream until the old monochrome
monitor gave up the ghost My scanner
sat idle while I searched in vain for a
new one. Then a buddy of mine solved
the problem. He installed a color VGA
card in the XT, and I simply unplugged
the SVGA monitor on my two-week old
486 multimedia computer and plugged it
in the XT. I only need the monitor for
about 15 minutes a day to check
AutoLogged frequencies anyway.
Besides, who can afford to tie up their
computer time, controlling the scanner
when everybody (me & 3 kids) wants to
play with it? The moral of the story is;
don’t get rid of those old PC’s. Put a
$20 VGA card in it and let it run your
scanner. This bit of wisdom has
certainly prevented countless potential
domestic disputes for me.

Also Bill, I couldn’t agree with your
politics more. But I think you missed a
basic element of freedom, namely
FINANCES. And the assault is on all
our freedoms as never before. GATT
passed last night. We have a blatantly
oppressive and socialist tax structure,
which props up a treasonous federal
reserve system. Everyone I know works
harder and longer for less and less
spending power. Soon none of us will be
able to afford transportation, self-defense
or communications. It will all be under
government control, or illegal. Keep up
the good work and I’ll stay in touch!

Please don’t print my name. I don’t care
to wake up to BATF shock troops at my
front door or IRS auditors at my office.

POLITICS - RADIO - COMPUTERS

ED: Right on! You're safe with us.
Thanks a million for the extra $20. I
don't encourage that sort of thing for
\political' reasons, but your gift is
graciously accepted. Matter of fact, it
played a role in our decision to buy a

12/28/94~ i:44 pm~ The "WorldScanner Report" © 1991-95; Volume 5, No 1; Page 7

flatbed scanner for our computing
facilities, results of which are plainly
evident in this issue of the IVSR. You
kind of helped us set a precedent in the
sense that any future gratuities and gifts
absolutely will not be used for personal
gain; rather we will invest it in some¬
thing for the betterment of the IVSR’s
facilities and resources and thereby give
the donors a return on their investments.
Not that any such are solicited, for we
expect to work for our gain, and any
windfalls will be allocated to a wise
investment for the good of all. Thank
you for your gift and especially for
helping us to establish this precedent.

Politics-wise, you're right that I’ve not
said much about the attacks on our
purchasing power. I don’t know enough
to peg that danger. What I do know, is
that all my adult life, society seems to
ha\>e felt that government, business,
labor and our fellow man have had their
sights set on our wallets. Nothing much
differs in that respect today from over 30
years ago when I started paying
attention to the value of my time and my
money. Yet, I am considerably better off
today than 30-years ago. These attacks,
if that is what they are, have been rather
impotent in my case anyway. That is not
intended to convey any relief because I
am a lot different from my fellow man. I
refuse to live in fear and intimidation
and I do not follow all the rules
commonly respected by the herd. I work
from sun-up to long after sundown for
barely more than a pot to pee in. My TV
set is 12-yrs old; my stereo system is
over 20-yrs old; my vehicles are over 20
yrs old; and I carry no more insurance
than the minimum required by law.

On the other hand, my kids are getting
educated to the max; my tools of the
trade are state of the art and growing all
the time; and Cindy and I are happy.

Speaking of tools . I’m wondering why

you ’re not running your CE-232 on that
new 486 computer of yours? You do
know, don’t you, that the CE-232 runs
under Windows very well? And Windows
is a multitasker, eminently capable of
running several applications at the same
time! You can run the CE-232 in a
background window or minimized all the
while the kids are playing games or
Mama is whacking out a recipe! You are
not limited or restricted to needing a
dedicated computer for the CE-232!

Now there is another thing you might

consider . later, if not now . and that

is a LAN (Local Area Network) for your
computing facilities! You could network
that XT with the new 486 and any other
computers around the house, and not
need a monitor for the XT at all!

LAN’s are scary to novice computists,
but believe me, they’re getting cheap
and almost transparent in operation.
The power of a LAN is absolutely
formidable, and yet rather easy and low
cost to implement. I’m not going to get
much deeper into networking here, but I
will propose that with Windows For
WorkGroups 3.11, the total added cost
of a 2-node LAN need not be much over
$200, from start to finish! WfWG 3.11 is
a self-contained networking package
(with an advanced version of Windows)
that needs only a network interface card
per computer and some RG-58 coax.
The Add-On version of WfWG 3.11 is
$49 and LAN adapter cards need not
cost more than about $49 each....$100
per node will get a nice LAN up &
running!

I mention this solely because a LAN can
be an indispensable tool for the
compleat radioist! Ummmm, take me,
fer instance. My personal workstation
consists of five computers, more or less
in a circle around me, each one
connected to the LAN, and then there
are three more computers elsewhere also
on the LAN and readily at my access,
and with rare exception, I need not leave
my one personal keyboard and monitor
to have the power of eight machines
working for me, each capable of doing
several things at the same time. Ponder
that concept, as you grow in your
radioing and computing. ©

NON-CELLULAR PRO-43

From: Tony Thornton. Mize. MS I
write this note with sadness in my heart.
I just purchased a new PRO-43 and tore
it down to do the diode and audio mods.
To my dismay there is no D-4 diode in
my pro-43, just empty space. I added a
1N4148 to restore 54-88 MHz to D3 spot
but I suppose cellular is a dead issue. I
am waiting on a service manual I
ordered a week ago. Just thought I
would let you know about it if you don’t
already, so you could let the word out in
V5N1. By the way, the serial # is
A002396. The CPU has this stamped on
it: GRE9326 250 9403 MD014. It was

purchased on Dec 3rd. The audio mod is
a great sound enhancer for me because
I’m a little hard of hearing. Keep up the
good work & happy holidays.

£D: The law now forbids scanners that
can be “easily modified” for cellular
reception. This has been the case since
April of this year. No wonder you ran
into a dead end. PRO-43's with an “A ”
in the serial number meet this
requirement. I understand Marymac
Industries still (as of12/28/94) has some
modifiable PRO-43’s (and 2006’s) but
they ’re going fast. (800) 231-3680.

SSB-BFO IOR SCANNERS

From: Thomas Nichols, Indianapolis, IN

Would the BFO project (Pg 98, Jan’94
MT) fit inside the PRO-2006? How
much the cost? How about a dual
control on/off volume control/squelch
control. Mount it in one hole and put
BFO control in squelch slot. The control
is an idea from some CB radios I’ve
seen. Think it would work? Looking
forward to Book 3. When the hell is it
due out?

What is the cost of adding a LED center
tuning indication cost? No red LED’s
please. How about med or light blue?
Regarding the EMB chip, if I am reading
the right one, how much would it
increase the memories with just two
switches or no switches if it replaces the
old chip and how much the cost? What
happened to Key Research? Have you
come up with anything on the new PRO-
2035 with 1,000 mems?

ED: The above circuit, to which you
referred is a classic type of BFO that’s
virtually worthless for scanners. USB
and LSB tuning are accomplished by
trimmer capacitors Cl & C2; maybe
great for hams and SWL’s, but a pain in
the arse for scannists. This type of BFO
is not very stable, drifting wildly with
excursions of temperature and supply
voltages. Scanners require precision

12/28/94-1:44 PM- The "WorldScanner Report" © 1991-95; Volume 5, No 1; Page 8

frequencies for SSB , and precision
adjustments to clarify a signal. This
circuit would not do for the kind of SSB
that would be found on VHF and UHF.

Yours is a great idea for a dual
potentiometer & On/Off switch on one
control to free up space for a “clarifier”
or BFO in the Squelch spot. Cobra and
other CB radios have long used dual
concentric controls. So, let's see, the
PRO-2004/5/6 scanners use a 50-kC2 pot
for volume and a 10-kQpot for Squelch.
That combo might be rare. It does not
appear in Cobra CB rigs that I
researched. If you come up with
anything, let me know.

I cannot quote costs of mods for you as I
no longer perform them for others; at
least not at the present, nor in the
foreseeable future. You can rest assured
that blue LEDs in an S-Meter are costly,
and will be rather boring unless mixed
with green, yellow and red LED’s.

An Extended Memory mod without
switches yields no extra memory. One
switch yields two 400-ch Blocks; two
switches produces four 400-ch Blocks;
three switches, eight 400-ch Blocks; four
switches for sixteen 400-ch Blocks, etc.
There is no sense in an Extended
Memory Mod without address switching.
You can use a single BCD (hex) rotary
switch to control up to sixteen Blocks of
400-ch ea. 32-pos BCD switches are
available.

My third scanner modification book, The
Ultimate Scanner , is long overdue as it
is, but might hit the streets by Spring.

PRESS RELEASE

Miamisburg, Ohio (Nov 9, 1994) —The R. L.
Drake Company is expanding the market
for the SW8, a portable World Band
Shortwave receiver, by advertising in the
December 1 issue of American Way , the
official magazine of American Airlines.
Traditionally focusing on the shortwave
hobbyist through information and
advertising in radio publications, Drake
now wants to reach a new population of
world band shortwave receiver
consumers. “Drake hopes American
Way magazine is a way of reaching
those people who have an interest in
international news and entertainment and
therefore might be in the market for a
shortwave receiver, the SW8 is ideal
because it is capable of receiving radio
broadcast transmissions from all over the
world, hence the name world band radio,”
says Marketing director, Bob Jackson.

Based on marketing research findings,
Drake has decided to expand beyond
traditional media channels for
information and advertising. the
company needed a media outlet to
advertise to a different, more general
audience of people who were not
shortwave hobbyists. Exploring alternate
mediums for advertising resulted in a
four-color, half page ad for Drake’s SW8
in the December 1 issue of American
Way magazine.

“Advertising the SW8 in American Way
magazine is targeted to people with an
interest in, or a need for, an international
perspective on news or to people who

simply enjoy entertainment broadcasts
from other countries," Mr. Jackson says.

Drake was searching for an efficient
means to target the general population,
while filtering out those people that might
have an interest in shortwave receivers.
Through demographic and psycho¬
graphic research Drake found that airline
travelers, more specifically business
travelers, have interests that are similar
to those of avid shortwave radio
listeners. Drake realized that people with
these interests could lend themselves to
becoming potential shortwave customers.

Drake also hopes that the ad in American
Way will accomplish yet another goal —
to generate additional business for their
dealers. Currently, a significant amount
of Drake shortwave equipment is sold
direct from the manufacturer by calling 1-
800-568-3795. “While Drake’s method of
selling direct has been successful thus
far, the company would like to see
customers utilizing the authorized dealers
more in the future. The dealer can
interact with the customer on a more
personal basis and show aspects of the
equipment that can’t be demonstrated
over the phone.” Mr. Jackson says.

The R. L. Drake Company has been a
leader in the communications field since
1943, and manufactures a diverse line of
products including consumer satellite
television equipment, commercial
satellite communications equipment, and
radio communications equipment.

For additional information contact the
R. L. Drake Company, PO Box 3006,
Miamisburg, OH 45343. (513) 866-
2421, or FAX (513) 866-0806.

For additional information editors can
contact: Georgia Morgan.

12/28/94 ~ 7:22pm~ The "WorldScanner Report" © 1991-95; Volume 5, No 1; Page 9

..",..

I12/24A4 SUBSCRIPTION RATES 4 ORDER BLANK

Hj ■

[USA RATES shown: Canada add 15%; Other Foreign +25%-surf/+50%-Air

NAME:

$

1991 (1st Year, Jan-Nov/Dec)-10 ea $20.00

$

STREET

1992 (2nd Year, Jan-Nov/Dec)-10 ea $21.00

$

1993 (3rd Year, Jan-Nov/Dec)-10 ea $23.00

$

CITY:

STATE:

ZIP:

1994 (4th Year, Jan-Nov/Dec)-10 ea $25.00

$

Work Ph: (

) .

-

Career or

1991-94 (All the above) - 40 ea $79.00

$

ii!BWW3!WBlSijS

) _

-

Profession

TYPE OF SCANNERS »

Half Year 5ea $15.00

$

& Other Radios »

One Year lOea $25.00

$

METHOD OF Check

Cash

M.O.

Visa MstCard COD (+ $8.50)

Amount Enclosed 1

Two Years 20 ea $45.00

$

PAYMENT » □

□

□

□ □

$

1

f OTHER PRODUCTS

Credit Card

Amount Charged [

Scanner Mod Hndbk, Vol-1: $17.95 + $4.00 S&H *

$.

Acct No: »

_

-

$

Scanner Mod Hndbk, Vol-2: $17.95 + $4.00 S&H *

$

Name of

Expiration

/

Scanners & Secret Frequencies $19.95 + $4 S&H *

$

Issuing Bank

Date:

/

* Canada US$0 S&H; Other Foreign US$9 S&H; ail add extra for Air

$

1 Signature Required (for credit card purchases)

_

CE-232 Interface Kit $194.95 + $5 S&H; All Foreign add 25%-surf

$

MZ33m

Hertzian Intercept BBS Subs: S8/mo $15/3-mo $25/6-mo $40/yr $75/2-yr

$

X

HOBBY RADIO BUYER'S DIRECTORY $14.95 ppd. surf

$

What else to tell us?

US FUNDS PAYABLE'

TO; C

QMmr

11

ii

m

HHB

$

$

■ wpmmmtMMmmm

£ fill RECHARGERrllllll

By Mike W. Flenz - ANR Enterprises
Neenah, Wisconsin

Enclosed are the photos I said I would send
to you about 3 months ago of the battery
pack charger for the PRO-34/37/39/ 43
battery packs. Better late than never, huh?

This little holder allows me to pop in a spare
pack and charge it up without tying up a
radio. 1 have two PRO-43's and four battery
packs, so I'm never without a fresh pack. The
holder is made from a Radio Shack 4X2 1/8
X 1 5/8" project box (#270-231) that is just
the right size for a battery holder tray to drop
down into. The two springs that contact the
pack terminals are out of an old battery tray
from a junked cheapie radio. They are
mounted into a piece of plastic cut from
another old box but unplated circuit board
material would work here, too. The springs
are mounted with 6/32 bolts at the same
spacing as the contacts on the packs. That
piece is then epoxied (R.S. #64-2313) into
the box at such a position to allow tipping the
battery tray (contact end first) down into the
box resulting in some spring tension against
the contacts. (About 2 1/2" from the inside
edge of the interior round posts that the
cover screws go into.) I put a small piece of
wood behind the springs to relieve the
pressure on the epoxy.

The female coaxial jack (R.S. #274-1577) is
epoxied into a hole in the side and accepts
the center-negative plug of the R.S. power
supply that is used with the PRO-34/37. One
could use any size jack here that fits their
power supply. This one has a 22 ohm

rt

for and still haven't had
time to build.) oh, and I
also stuck a fuse down in
there under the jack just
for that extra safety
margin.

I didn't use the aluminum
cover that comes with the
box, but 1 did cut a piece
of black plastic that covers
the wiring end of the box
and installed it with two
of the cover screws,
leaving the big end open
to tip the battery tray in
and out

12/28/94- 2.12 PM- The " World Scanner Report" © 1991-95; Volume 5, No 1; PagelO

resistor in series with the + terminal to mimic
the charge rate/time of the PRO-34/37/43
scanners. This also could be changed to suit
a person's need or eliminated altogether and
the box plugged into your super-duper ni-cad
"Safe Charger". (The one I have all the parts

Hope you can use this
idea, Bill. Certainly not of
the caliber of the CE-232
or 25,600 channel mod,
but one of those little
things that makes life
more pleasant

ED: Oh, Mike , the

“caliber” of things is
not measured by their
glitz and glitter. There
are many ways to
measure caliber, but
none prove up until
tested by fire. Your
project might well save
lives and property someday. Now there
is a measure of “caliber” for you! I
think you did quite well on this one. Got
any more ideas up your sleeve?

I • jJj? . •• • # . x* jr a ; ,v • ^

c'#i

: r$m

:• vr. . '•••::* . : : *f~

POeXo Cp Ml&i

HAPPY NEW Y EAR!

COMMTRONICS ENGINEERING'S
“WORLD SCUMS IMPORT”
PO BOX 262478
SAN DIEGO, CA 92196-2478

941224V5N01 PI 0 HAPPY NEW YEAR

JSSN-1061-9240

+ First Issue of 1995 - Subscription Rate Increase Coming Soon!

+ PRO-2005/6 Hacker Tips ~ Remote Controller for PRO-2004/5/6 & Others!

+ 4066 Pinout ~ Scanner Keyboards ~ Electroluminescent Panel Problems
+ Crystals & Scanner SpeedUps ~ PRO-34/37 Sensitivity Mod ??

+ BC-2500 Mod Possibilities ~ Another PRO-2032 Cellular Modification
+ AR-3000 & Lack of Technical Info ~ A Reader Raps ~ Politics-Radio-Computers
+ PRO-2030 LockOut Key Disable ~ Non-cellular PRO-43 ~ SSB For Scanners?

+ Press Release: Drake SW8 WorldBand Receiver ~ A Plea to Professor Peabody
+ Spare Battery Pack Recharger